Antisemitism and the Holocaust

The Holocaust raises profound and intractable questions for theologians and ethicists, historians and psychologists, and for perpetrators, victims, bystanders, and rescuers. The purpose of this course is to explore questions of moral responsibility and moral character, and the nature of choice under conditions of genocide. The course begins by studying the history of antisemitism and its changing dynamics over time, examines anti-Judaism in the early church, and the role of German Protestant and Catholic theologians during the war. The course concludes by examining Jewish and Christian theology in the shadow of the Holocaust and probes its moral and religious implications for subsequent generations.

Prerequisites: Upon registering, email the professor for an application that must be completed and returned to the professor before the first day of classes.